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Hi all-
Im new to the forum world and appreciate any and all feedback you may provide. My main question here involves alternate career paths for MFT Licensure but, first, a little background:
I graduated in 2009 with an MS in Counseling, Marriage and Family Therapy from Cal State Fullerton. I had a wonderful experience in grad school and, like most new therapists, was bright eyed and bushy tailed to gain hours and make a real difference. Prior to this, I had worked in special education for 3 years as a 1:1 aide and also as a substitute teacher while working my way through college, so I knew a little about getting my hands in the mix and working directly with children. Upon graduation, I worked for a year as a Behavior Therapist with kids on the autism spectrum, and further for another 3 years doing home based Wraparound therapy in LA County. Currently, Im at a new agency providing a similar type of high-need, home-based services, and this agency is mediocre at best and unethical in its practices at worst.
Given this experience, at 29 years old, I feel completely and utterly burnt out. I see a personal therapist and attend conferences and eat well and exercise and I really do adore my clients and families I work with. However, the bureaucracy of managed care and the structure of non-profit agencies that reduce the work I share with clients into the most billable minutes is absolutely taking a toll on my psyche.
I recently passed the first state licensure exam (MFT Standard Written) and Im confident I will pass the vignette within the next month or so. I spent most of my days driving between clients, seeing clients, and completing documentation, only to come home and spend another few hours scouring jobs on socialservice.com jobs that, in all likelihood, will be very similar to the job I have now.
Ive decided enough is enough, and given my next career step into licensure, combined with my nearly 10 years experience working with children and 5 of those in a clinical setting, I feel theres got to be some other career path where I may be more effective and still maintain a sense of personal health and well-being. In all of your professional opinions, is private practice the way to go? I dont see myself as a sales type of person, so this path is slightly anxiety inducing when considering marketing myself. Consulting? Management? QA? Life Coaching? Ive even considered managing a DUI school as a means to generate income while I build a private practice. Im open to any suggestions and very much appreciate being able to share here with honesty and integrity.
P.S. I dont expect to be rich either: Im not looking for six figures, only a career where I can continue to serve while also having some flexibility in career paths.
Thank you all.
Im new to the forum world and appreciate any and all feedback you may provide. My main question here involves alternate career paths for MFT Licensure but, first, a little background:
I graduated in 2009 with an MS in Counseling, Marriage and Family Therapy from Cal State Fullerton. I had a wonderful experience in grad school and, like most new therapists, was bright eyed and bushy tailed to gain hours and make a real difference. Prior to this, I had worked in special education for 3 years as a 1:1 aide and also as a substitute teacher while working my way through college, so I knew a little about getting my hands in the mix and working directly with children. Upon graduation, I worked for a year as a Behavior Therapist with kids on the autism spectrum, and further for another 3 years doing home based Wraparound therapy in LA County. Currently, Im at a new agency providing a similar type of high-need, home-based services, and this agency is mediocre at best and unethical in its practices at worst.
Given this experience, at 29 years old, I feel completely and utterly burnt out. I see a personal therapist and attend conferences and eat well and exercise and I really do adore my clients and families I work with. However, the bureaucracy of managed care and the structure of non-profit agencies that reduce the work I share with clients into the most billable minutes is absolutely taking a toll on my psyche.
I recently passed the first state licensure exam (MFT Standard Written) and Im confident I will pass the vignette within the next month or so. I spent most of my days driving between clients, seeing clients, and completing documentation, only to come home and spend another few hours scouring jobs on socialservice.com jobs that, in all likelihood, will be very similar to the job I have now.
Ive decided enough is enough, and given my next career step into licensure, combined with my nearly 10 years experience working with children and 5 of those in a clinical setting, I feel theres got to be some other career path where I may be more effective and still maintain a sense of personal health and well-being. In all of your professional opinions, is private practice the way to go? I dont see myself as a sales type of person, so this path is slightly anxiety inducing when considering marketing myself. Consulting? Management? QA? Life Coaching? Ive even considered managing a DUI school as a means to generate income while I build a private practice. Im open to any suggestions and very much appreciate being able to share here with honesty and integrity.
P.S. I dont expect to be rich either: Im not looking for six figures, only a career where I can continue to serve while also having some flexibility in career paths.
Thank you all.
